Chef King Phojanakong (1968–2023) was a pioneering New York City chef known for bringing Filipino and Thai "home cooking" to the culinary mainstream. Born in Manhattan to a Filipino mother and Thai father, he blended these heritages with classical training from the Culinary Institute of America and experience in Michelin-starred kitchens like Daniel, Jean-Georges, and Danube. In 2017, Chef King Phojanakong joined the ICE in New York as a Chef-Instructor. He saw this transition as a way to give back to the culinary community at a point in his career where he wanted to share his expertise in a more formal setting.
